Microbiologist and Infectious Disease Specialist
Areas of Current Research: Low-technology Driven Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases, Pathogenetic Mechanism of Dengue Infection, Molecular Basis of Antimicrobial Resistance
Dr. Destura is a multi-awarded clinician and scientist who continuously tries to narrow down the gap between Basic Science, Medical Science, and Biotechnology and community service by combining all disciplines to reach a focused goal. His “research bench to community” approach is ultimately geared towards developing low-cost technologies for the control of infectious diseases in the Philippines and the generation of new knowledge to find sustainable and equitable solutions to diseases of poverty.
After his training as Fogarty Fellow at the Center for Global Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine (Dr. Richard Guerrant’s Lab), he returned to his home country to share his knowledge and skills gained from the program for the control of infectious diseases relevant to the Philippines. Despite advancement in diagnostic medicine, access by the marginalized sector of society has been a recurring issue in the Philippines due to the cost-limiting nature of these technological advancements. He joined the National Institutes of Health Philippines as research faculty and later became the director of National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. He pioneered the Molecular Diagnosis for Infectious Diseases Program in the Philippines focusing mainly on developing low-cost, low-technology driven diagnostic platforms for specific infectious diseases relevant in my country such as NTD, Diarrheal Diseases, Dengue, MDRO and Tuberculosis. Majority of his work are dedicated on identification of diagnostic targets and evaluation of diagnostic platforms best suited in developing country scenario and transforming them into a low-cost platform.
LIST OF RESEARCH PROJECTS
PGC Projects
Regional Roll-out of Biotek-M Aqua-Kit (Liquid Format)
(2013 – 2014)
Funding Agency: PCHRD-DOST
Role: Project Leader
Co-Authors: Joy Ann Petronio, Angelo Dela Tonga, Kristine Marie Flores
Beneficiaries: Health sector, general population, researchers
Status: Completed
The Clinical Utility of BioTek-M in the Diagnosis and Serotyping of Dengue Virus Infections in the Philippines
(2013)
Role: Co-Investigator
Status: Completed
Web-based Genome Library for the Detection, Surveillance and Resistance Monitoring of Influenza Virus
in the Philippines
(December 2010 – November 2013)
Status: Completed
